Over 2.95 billion litres of petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and kerosene are currently available for use by motorists and others during and beyond the Yuletide, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency has said.
Executive Secretary, PPPRA, Abdulkadir Saidu, who said this on Thursday, assured Nigerians of the availability of petroleum products throughout the festive period.
He said the average stock of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, for both inland and marine between December 12 and 18, 2020 stood at 2,230,400,000 litres, adding that this translates to 39.83 days petrol sufficiency.
“The country also has a total average volume of 623,080,000 litres of Automotive Gas Oil or diesel with 44.51 days sufficiency, which signals good news for luxurious buses that are expected to dominate long travels during the festive season,” Saidu said in a statement issued in Abuja.
He added, “In addition to petrol and diesel availability, Nigeria has 25 days sufficiency of Aviation Turbine Kerosene (aviation fuel) with a total of 75,780,000 litres and 34.18 days sufficiency.”
The PPPRA boss said a total of 25,293,200 litres of Household Kerosene for domestic use was also available for use during the season.
The agency advised oil marketers to operate within the confines of the rules guiding operations in the downstream and shun unwholesome practices that could cause Nigerians untold hardship during the festive period and beyond.
It, however, stated that the Federal Government remained focused on executing the National Gas Expansion Programme.
According to the PPPRA, the gas masterplan that will result in many fuel retail outlets being able to dispense gas to motorists in the new year.
“The NGEP autogas rollout of December 1, 2020 and the ongoing motor vehicle tank conversion exercise at various centres herald the proliferation of a cheaper and cleaner alternative to petrol for Nigerians,” Saidu stated.
He noted that there had been growing investor confidence in the country’s petroleum downstream sector.
This, he said, was catalysed by the deregulation policy and concerted efforts in actualising the use of gas in automobiles and for other purposes.
Saidu assured stakeholders that the vision for a vibrant, self-sustaining downstream sector remained a priority and the PPPRA was working tirelessly to achieve this.
